Coeptus de Cerno de Albeo e Caligo
by arc.black
Summary: He continued with the register, eyeing Lucy suspiciously. After all, what sweet, innocent Gryffindor girl would sit next to Alexander Black? [pre HPB. Hermione's little sister goes to Hogwarts, while war looms on the horizon]
1. Prologue: How Shall We Start This?

"How shall we start this?" asked Amy, glancing at the pile of notes on the table.

"How about with first year?" Mia said, her arms wrapped around William.

"Well done, Mia, we'll ask you when we need such strokes of genius." Alex said flatly.

"Now, now, Alex, lets not be disparaging," Amy chastised mockingly. "At any rate," she continued, resuming her usual serious manner, "Yes, it is obvious to start from first year, but, how?"

"Hmm," said Alex, dipping his quill into the inkpot.

"What are you thinking?" said Lizzy curiously.

"'Have a good year….' Mia, what did your mum call you when you were eleven?" Alex frowned contemplatively.

Mia blushed. "Sweetheart, or dear."

"Well, _sweetheart, _that's so _dearly _nice of her," Tia said with a grin.

"Tia, that makes no sense," returned Lizzy.

"Erm." Tia looked around at them all. "So what? The story makes no sense anyways…"

"Coeptus," said Alex suddenly. "Coeptus de cerno de albeo e caligo."

"Whatever that means," Mia said, rolling her eyes.

"It's Latin, isn't it, Alex?" Lucy said, looking up from the window.

"Yeah."

"Care to tell us what it means?" Amy said tartly.

"The beginning of the separation between white and dark," Alex said softly.

"Why not light?" Amy responded, flicking through the sheaves of parchment.

"Those are all empty," Alex reminded her, in reference to the parchment. "Well, you come up with a basic word for light, Amy."

There was a thoughtful silence.

"Yeah, it doesn't work," Amy said reluctantly.

"Albeo it is," said Alex triumphantly, and continued writing.


	2. Part I: Chapter 1

**Part I**

"Have a good school year, sweetheart." A middle–aged woman kissed her daughter on the cheek and navigated her through the crowd. Like so many other mothers, this lady was seeing her first year off.

The little auburn haired girl was had one foot in the scarlet steam engine when she turned around and looked back at her mother. Grinning, she said, "Don't worry, Mum. I promise to write." The woman smiled weakly. "And where do you think Hermione is?" the girl added.

"Probably in the prefects compartment, darling." Giving one last wave, she wandered into the crowd, checking back only once to see her daughter.

A few meters away, a similar scene was occurring. "Consider yourselves privileged to be going to Hogwarts." A young blonde woman was reprimanding a miniature version of herself.

"Of course, Mum!" An older girl with violently ginger hair joined them.

"I'm glad you think so, Tanya," their mother replied with a genuine smile. She pulled them close to her chest, then pushed them toward the train. "Go, go now!" Both girls were startled to see their mother crying.

"Mum-"

"Go!"

Wordlessly picking up their baggage, Tanya and her younger sister got on the train. Finally, after two wrong turns, they got to the prefects compartment. "Well, Tia, I guess I stay here," Tanya said briskly, trying most obviously to conceal nervousness.

"All I can say is good luck!" Tia said, putting her bag down to embrace her sister. Tanya looked Tia straight in the eye.

"Look, times are different now," Tanya said sternly, gripping Tia by the shoulders. "That's why we're here, that's why we're not at Westford anymore."

"Westford doesn't exist anymore," Tia said quietly.

"Just – just be careful, Tia. Be careful." Shoving her compartment door open, Tanya heaved her bag in then motioned for Tia to leave.

Tia picked up her bag and walked away to find a compartment. Upon seeing one empty, she knocked and opened the door. "Hey, can I sit here?"

A blonde turned around and fixed her bright blue eyes. "No. You're not my friend." she said coldly. Two others blondes turned round to face her.

"Um, all right, then," Tia said in a small voice, loping off as quickly as possible. Rejected on her first attempt; was she really ever going to settle here?

At the end of the train she finally found a compartment that appeared to be void of occupation. Heaving her bag behind her, Tia dragged herself onto it.

"Hi," said a voice to her left. Looking up, Tia saw she was not, after all and unfortunately, alone. The other girl had auburn hair and bluish eyes, and her face was dusted with freckles. "I'm Hermia Granger." She made a face. "But most people call me Mia."

"Um, Tia M. Ryburn," she said breathlessly, having managed to heave her bag onto the luggage rack. "The 'M' stands for Mariposa. My mum's Spanish," she explained, sitting opposite Mia. And as clichéd as the line may seem, Tia Mariposa Ryburn had just made a new friend.


	3. Part I: Chapter 2

"Firs' years, firs' years!" the call rose over the crowd of chattering students. Mia squinted through the light haze, and grinned. So this was Hagrid.

"Tia." Mia tapped her friend's shoulder. "That's Hagrid," she said, pointing in his general direction.

"He's…huge," Tia observed.

"If I want the obvious stated, I'll ask," a voice drawled behind them. Mia turned around, fully expecting to see that idiot Hermione had told her about: Draco Malfoy.

Instead, the speaker was a tall, dark haired boy. A boy with honey – coloured curls stood silently next to him.

Tia whipped around, a remarkable shade of pink. "Who are you, anyway?" she managed.

"Alexander Robin Chrysothemis Black," he answered lackadaisically.

"And who gave you permission to be nasty, _Black_?" Tia and Mia whirled around for the second time in so many minutes. A girl with blue grey eyes and thick brown hair was glaring fiercely at the boy.

He raised an eyebrow, in true Malfoy fashion, despite his last name. "I don't need permission," he said with a smirk, and brushed past them.

Their defender glared after Black for a few seconds, then turned to them. "Hello," she said. "I'm Amy Leigh. My middle name's Yasmin, but don't call me that. Please."

"Tia Ryburn."

"Hermia Jane Granger. Most call me Mia, though."

Amy smiled. "I hope I will have that privilege, she said.


	4. Part I: Chapter 3

"_Hundreds and thousands of years ago_

_Hogwarts had great founders four_

_Brave Gryffindor_

_Cunning Slytherin_

_Clever Ravenclaw_

_Diligent Hufflepuff_

_These values of _

_The founders four_

_Were greatly prized by each _

_Handpicked, all the students were_

_For which talents_

_They possessed for sure_

_So which are you? Put me on_

_And I will take the pick_

_For all your years at Hogwarts_

_To these traits you'll stick_

_Though you may not _

_Be overly pleased _

_With the choice I make_

_Later, later, later on_

_You will see_

_The wisdom of my voice_

_Condemned am I _

_Forever more_

_To sort thee by thy skill_

_But if I had my way once more_

_Sort you I would_

_Never, ever more."_

The hat finished its song to dubious applause and a chorus of whispers. Professor McGonagall then proceeded to read the names off the list. 'Alfryed, Helen' became the first Ravenclaw, and 'Altrafresca, Amelia' the first Hufflepuff. Mia's stomach slipped in knots, and she clutched Tia's hand subconsciously.

"Berry, Katrina!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Black, Alexander!"

Tia watched the boy go up with great distaste. He was evidently calm and collected, egotistical prat that he was. "Whatever house he's in, **pray** it's not ours!" Mia hissed. Wish granted, Black was placed in Slytherin. Now all they had to do was keep out of said house.

Professor McGonagall went through Bylst, Natalie, Ceneat, Jonathan, Demidov – Bale, Christian (the silent boy at Black's side) Enavega, Emily and Fawnright, Miriam, before reaching –

"Granger, Hermia!"

Mia drew in a deep breath. Her eyes said, 'Wish me luck', even if her throat was too constricted to say it. Tia smiled back. Her own stomach was performing acrobatics.

Mia put the hat on. Finally, (for it seemed as an age to Tia) the hat decided her a Gryffindor, and so Professor McGonagall called up Halrowe, Alexandra. After the newly made Ravelclaw scurried to her table, it was Leigh, Amy's turn. Gryffindor. Tia **had **to get into Gryffindor. It wouldn't be fair if she didn't. Which was a rather childish thought, but such thoughts do occur during times of extreme nervousness. She suddenly had a brainwave: where was her sister sitting? Surely she would be in the same house…her search was, however, interrupted with a sudden jerk of recognition. Parkinson, Jessica was the nasty blond on the train. Slytherin. B_esides, _Tia thought sourly. _She deserved Black. _

Her hopes were dashed when Monafry, Andrew was made a Gryffindor and Monafry, Andrea a Ravenclaw, anyways. Tia didn't have much time to ponder that, though, for after Ryan, Saoirse (SLYTHERIN!) was Ryburn, Tia. The girl behind her whispered, "Good luck!" as Tia got up.

The hat went over her eyes. She immediately heard a strange voice in her ear. "I wish I didn't have to separate you lot. You've got qualities from all of the houses…hmm…Ravenclaw, perhaps? No, no. Slytherin, maybe? "

_GRYFFINDOR, _she thought as hard as possible. "Ah," said the little voice in her ear. "Gryffindor. Indeed, indeed. Well, you are actually quite…cunning, shall we say. Slytherin? Or Ravenclaw? Hufflepuff wouldn't suit you quite as well, but – No? You're sure?"

As the hat shouted her choice to the hall, Tia felt her eyes well up with teary relief and grinned. This sorting business was rather straightforward, actually.


	5. Part I: Chapter 4

Tia's dormitory mates were Mia, Elizabeth Smith (the girl who had wished her luck during the sorting) Amy Leigh and a girl called Lucy Margaret Wright. As Lucy had put it, they were "going to live with each other for the next seven years, so might as well be friends!"

Personally, Tia was glad for the social support. With people like Parkinson and Black around, it was necessary. Parkinson may have been just nasty, but Black was malicious.

Confirmation of the needed vehemence for description of Black's worst trait occurred on the Thursday of the first week. He hadn't given them any trouble, and in fact, Tia had begun to think Parkinson was the more dangerous one. To quote many movies, "You thought wrong."

Elizabeth and Lucy had not met him yet, and thus, had no reason to dislike him, but their room mate's complaints had bid them think of him in a negative light.

They complied with the complaint's wishes.

It was a sunny Thursday, a blue sky beaming down on them through the ceiling. "What have we got today?" Tia asked, reaching for the toast.

"First, Transfiguration, then Potions," Amy replied, on cue. Mia looked at her schedule, and with a rare bit of sarcasm, groaned, "Oh, _joy._"

"What?" Elizabeth asked, pouring herself milk.

"Both are with the Slytherins."

"So?" asked Lucy, stabbing a sausage.

Mia and Tia looked at each other. "Alexander Black," they intoned conspiringly. Amy stopped eating.

"You know, Mia? I agree with the sentiment."

xxvxx

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­

"The trick is to ignore him," Amy said carefully as they walked the corridor leading up to the Transfiguration classroom.

"At least Parkinson isn't there," volunteered Tia helpfully.

"Who's Parkinson?"

Tia explained. "Wonderful," Amy muttered. "Just wonderful. How _do _you end up with so many enemies, Tia?" she asked, sighing. "Oh…" Her bag had slipped, and all the contents had spilled out. "Look, go on without me, I'll be fine, just tell Professor McGonagall that I might be a bit late…"

They continued without her, soon reaching the classroom and seating themselves. Their instructor was still to arrive. Tia caught sight of Black, and urged herself not to instigate battle. Christian Demidov - Bale was sitting with Saoirse Ryan at another desk. Black was sitting alone, smirking and playing with his wand.

_If I was two years older, and he hadn't been nasty, I might even have considered going out with him. _Tia thought savagely. _Wait – he's in Slytherin. No, I wouldn't have, would I. _

"Good morning, class." Professor McGonagall was brisk as always. _Amy still hasn't arrived, _Elizabeth observed. As in response to her thoughts, Amy came flying through the doorway.

"Sorry, Professor," she gasped. Professor McGonagall merely smiled. Amy had already established herself as one of the best students in years.

"It's quite all right, Ms. Leigh. Why don't you take that seat next to Black; there appears to be no other open spot," Professor McGonagall said. Black was also bright. He just had to work a little harder.

Amy hesitated, then gave in, and sat. Black was watching her quietly. "Amy Leigh, right?" he whispered. She saw no reason to withhold her name, so she nodded sharply, and caught Mia's eye. "Sorry," Mia mouthed.

_You had better be, _Amy thought venomously. And to think that it was double Transfiguration. She would have to spend longer sitting next to Black than all the moments they had ever seen him combined.

He was back to playing with his wand. _He has the attention span of a two year old, _Amy thought crossly, looking up from her notes to spare Black a withering glance. Professor McGonagall interrupted her musings on her enemy's immatureness, however.

"So if that is the procedure to change a bird into water, what would be the incantation to change it to fire?"

Black's hand shot up at the same time as Amy's. Professor McGonagall surveyed her two best students. "Ms. Leigh?"

"Repeat the incantation twice, replacing _agua _with _inceri_," Amy said quickly.

"Very good, five points to Gryffindor. That," she informed her class, "was OWL level." Amy glowed. "Mr. Black, what were you going to say?"

"Burn it to a crisp, Professor."

Professor McGonagall allowed herself a smile. Really, that Black boy _was _related to his father, no matter what his mother said.

Amy groaned inwardly. _What an idiot!…_and then, she was surprised when her favourite Professor smiled. Several of the Gryffindors laughed, as well as the Slytherins. She watched Tia laugh for a bit, then realize whose joke she was laughing at, and stop the giggles with a sour expression.

Black flashed her an 'I won' grin, and pulled out a piece of parchment and a quill. _Notes? _Amy thought, hurriedly returning her attention to the class. She had no time for the antics of the boy beside her.

The continuous scratching of the quill was irritating her. Even she wasn't copying down that many notes! What was he doing, copying down every damn word that came out of the teacher's mouth? She turned on him. "Do you mind? I'm trying to – " but she never finished her sentence.

On the piece of parchment was a picture of an eye. Not that Amy had ever stared at this eye, but she was pretty sure whose eye it was. Black looked up. "What were you trying to do?" he asked, eye twinkling.

"Of all the conceited, arrogant – "

"They mean the same thing," Black pointed out, a tiny smile playing around his lips.

She scowled at him, and turned back to the board.

Transfiguration finally ended, with an emphasis on the finally. Amy stormed out of the classroom. Black had succeeded in making the class laugh twice more, each time flashing her that annoying smile. And Amy scowled at him each time.

It wasn't because he was right, because he wasn't. It was just that…_Fine, _Amy thought indignantly. _It's because of the drawing. _She had seen another side of Black. Not Alexander Black, the despicable Slytherin, but Alexander Black, the boy.

And frankly, she detested it. She didn't want to think of her enemy as a person, for God's sake! She might actually begin to understand him, and heaven help her if she did. Tia, Mia, Elizabeth and Lucy caught up with her.

"Sorry," Mia intoned quietly. One could infer from Amy's menacing gaze and posture that her friends had better have a good excuse or else. "Black was being his usual dingbat self, I shouldn't wonder."

Amy tried to twist her mouth into something resembling a smile. "Look," she said finally. "One of _you_ can sit with him during potions and see how enjoyable it is, eh?"

Lucy smiled. "I'll do it," she said, the sarcasm narrowly missing her left ear and hitting a window. They stopped outside the dungeons.

"Well," said Mia bracingly. "Snape and Black in one classroom. Hermione told me about him; he's totally unfair to the Gryffindors. And, me being Hermione's sister…"

Liz smiled. "Let's keep to the optimistic side, eh?" she said, opening the door to the dungeons.

Amy turned to Lucy. "Are you sure you are fully sane? Alexander Black can be pretty nasty."

Understatement of the century, Amy. Congratulations.


	6. Part I: Chapter 5

Snape strode into the classroom, his billowing black robes already making a statement on his forceful personality. "Good morning, class," he said softly, his voice carrying clearly across the room. Mia shivered. The man gave her the creeps. She spared Black a glance. Lucy had actually sat next to him. She was officially branded nutty.

Clearly, Black thought so as well. Mia watched the expression on his face with bland amusement. "Hermia Granger." The sharp voice brought her back to attention.

"Yes, sir?" she responded as respectfully as possible.

"You are Hermione Granger's sister, are you not?" her teacher stared down at her with cold eyes.

"Yes, sir," she replied quietly.

Snape's lip curled. "Yes, yes, the famous Hermione Granger…" and he continued with the register, eyeing Lucy suspiciously. After all, what sweet, innocent Gryffindor girl would sit next t o Alexander Black? As far as Snape had heard, Alexander had made himself quite a formidable reputation, not through money and name, like Malfoy, but through "intelligence and charisma." Direct quote from McGonagall. No decent Slytherin should have charisma! Snape scowled at the thought. Well, let's see his alleged intelligence, then.

"Today," he said, once he had finished with the register (and his silent musings), "we are going to be concocting a simple Sleeping Draft. Who can tell me the first three ingredients?" Amy's hand shot up in the air.

So did Black's. Snape sneered briefly at Amy and gestured that Black answer. Despite his doubt in the boy, of course he would pick one of his own house before any of the others. "Dragon's breath leafs, rose petals and diced caterpillar innards," Black recited.

"Very good, Mr. Black. Five points to Slytherin. What are you all waiting for? For the rest of you, the instructions are on page forty-three. The supplies are in the student cupboard." Snape swept about the dungeons, terrifying every person in the room, s with the exception of himself and possibly Alexander Black.

Christian Demidov – Bale was an interesting case, Elizabeth observed as she diced her caterpillar innards. He was a Gryffindor who liked a Slytherin girl: Saoirse Ryan. Elizabeth had never met Ryan, but was forced to conclude that if she were anything like Black, Amy wouldn't like her. She wasn't so sure about herself. Christian seemed okay, but Elizabeth wondered. How did he feel, separated from his friend?

Her voicing this thought aloud was met with a derisive snort from Amy, with whom she was working with. "More like his _master._ At any rate, I think Black cares more for himself than anybody else, even his own mother. Liz…."

Elizabeth smiled and put the caterpillar innards into a bowl. "Since when am I Liz?" she asked, reaching for the dragon's breath leafs.

"Since I decided Elizabeth was altogether too long to keep saying all the time," Amy said, hurriedly cutting the thorns off a rose; those were needed too. "Oh, poor Lucy."

Liz directed her gaze toward Lucy. The poor girl was pressing her lips together and nodding at everything Black said to her. She looked as though she were about to cry.

Mia leaned over and whispered, "We should do something about Lu."

Lu? Liz? This was a day for nicknames.

"No, really. Look at her!" Tia hissed, and promptly began to swear colourfully under her breath when she cut her finger on her knife.

And when Amy did, she wished she hadn't. Because if you thought about it, it was all her fault. She frowned and bit her lip; Black wouldn't make Lucy cry, would he? What could he possibly be saying?

Setting the water to boil, Amy sat and started flicking to other pages in her Potions book. She was dying to try some of these; the Dream Shifter looked particularly challenging. And the Temporary Hair Dye looked good, too – you had to change the ingredients according to each different hair colour you wanted. It sounded fun. But when would she be able to do these? Surely, Professor Snape would let her try some of these in her spare time? She knew she had Friday afternoons off. Maybe…

Her thoughts were interrupted by the Potion Master's voice. "You will not cry in my class, understand, Miss Wright? You can do it anywhere else. I will take points off for this lack of control…"

But he was (stunningly enough) cut off by Black: "Sir, its just natural tearing; I think she got some potion in her eye…its all right, I can clear it up. I've got fresh water here." Snape eyed him.

"Very well, Mr. Black," he said Finally. "But one would think that you would _want _other houses to lose points."

"Not unjustly."

"You sound like a bloody Gryffindor."

The class gasped collectively; not because of the insult, but because their teacher had swore.

Snape glanced around uneasily. "Oops, Professor. Slip of the tongue," Black smiled lopsidedly.

"You and I will speak after class," Snape said curtly.

"Sure," Black answered. "Whenever you like."

Amy shook her head. Black may have been stupid, but all things said, that guy had guts.


	7. Part I: Chapter 6

And so the days flew by, and soon, it was mid - September. The wind strengthened, and the leaves died. Soon, the common rooms were warmed with smoldering logs. On the twenty first of September, a large sign was posted on the notice board. It read the names of around thirty Gryffindor students who should report to Professor McGonagall's office at appointed times. Among these names were Amy Y. Leigh and Elisabeth Smith.

"I wonder what she wants us for," Amy muttered to Liz as they walked down the stone corridor to McGonagall's office.

"Well, have you gotten any failing test scores lately?" Liz asked flatly.

"What do you think?" Amy hissed.

"Well. It can't be we're in trouble…it's quite strange. But it can't be anything that bad, can it? I wonder if it's only for – oh, no, its not." Liz cut off in mid sentence.

"It isn't what?" Amy asked.

"It isn't only for Gryffindors," Liz explained. "See. Look, there's Jonathan Ceneat and Alexandra Halrowe; they're both in Ravenclaw."

"What could it be for?" Amy wondered aloud again.

They entered with the Ravenclaws. Professor McGonagall was seated behind her desk. The room looked larger than it normally was. Amy blinked. No it wasn't a trick of the light, perhaps they had expanded it for this mysterious purpose. Indeed, there were wooden chairs placed in a semi circle in front of the professor's desk. Amy and Liz cautiously took seats on the far end of the semi circle. The Ravenclaws sat on the other end. Professor McGonagall frowned. "Mr. Ceneat, Ms. Halrowe, would you mind taking these seats – " gestured to chairs closer to the Gryffindors – "it will make it all more convenient. Thank you," Professor McGonagall added with a smile when the Ravenclaws moved. "Here are Ms. Bylst and Ms. Monafry. Hello, Ms. Ryan, Mr. Black, sit here."

"Black?" Amy whispered.

"Oh, well," Elisabeth said. "Do you think we should have brought materials? Everyone else has their quills, and everything."

"We'll look really dumb if – " Amy was cut off by her favourite professor.

"Put those quills away, Mr. Ceneat, you won't be needing them. Now, I suppose you're wondering why you're all here. I shall explain when Professor Dumbledore arrives."

"As this was completely his idea," muttered Black.

Professor McGonagall spared him a glance and a wan, distracted smile. "Ah, here he is."

Professor Dumbledore swept into the room, resplendent in rich purple velvet robes glittering with golden embroidered stars. "Hello," he said, quietly.

"Now, you may wonder, what the purpose of this gathering is. Who can think why?"

Silence. No one wanted to interrupt Dumbledore. Finally, Black raised his hand.

"Special lessons, sir?"

At these words, Amy's mind whirled. That made sense, she had seen almost all of these students in class, and they were quite goodand Lizzy as well…

"Correct, Mr. Black. How did you guess?" Professor Dumbledore took the seat behind McGonagall's desk.

"Well," he hesitated, "I heard Professor Snape talking about it, and I just – deducted that from the gathering of students here. They are all prominent in their lessons. Sir," he added, as an after thought.

"Excellent, excellent. You all may have observed a stanza of the sorting hat's song this year; _Condemned am I, forever more, to sort thee by thy skill. But if I had my way once more, sort you I would never, ever more,_" he quoted.

"We have, for once – " he chuckled – "decided to comply with the hat's wishes."

"Will we still be in our respective houses?" Jonathan Ceneat asked.

McGonagall shot him a reproving look, but Professor Dumbledore answered him with a simple "yes", and resumed explaining. "This is a gathering of the best students from first year. You are to learn the same material as the rest of your peers, only at a faster rate and on a broader scope, more trails into the misty depths of the theoretical, more detail. You will not, of course, be working with someone from your own house." Amy shot Lizzy a look, who shrugged.

Professor McGonagall stepped forward with a roll of parchment. "I will read you and your partner's names off, alphabetically. Alexander Black and Amy Leigh – "

Lizzy sniggered, then had the grace to bite her lip. Amy looked appalled. "Did you hear – I mean…I – " she went through a mental list of profanities.

"Natalie Bylst and Jonathan Ceneat, Alexandra Halrowe and Andrea Monafry, Elisabeth Smith and Saoirse Ryan. Did I miss anyone?"

"No," said Amy softly.

"Very well. Here – " Professor McGonagall swept her wand and four long desks appeared. The chairs they had been sitting on moved to behind the desks, forcing the students to stand. Professor Dumbledore observed them silently. "Now seat yourselves, and prepare to be instructed."

Amy walked, as if in a trance, to the seat closest to her. How was she to survive this next year?

Black seated himself next to her. "Well, here we go again," he said cheerfully.

"You don't say," Amy said bitterly.


	8. Part I: Chapter 7

"This isn't fair. I got paired with _Black, _for heaven's sake!" Amy paced nervously around the room. They were back in the dormitory, after having received their instructions from the headmaster.

"Well," said Lizzy bracingly, dipping her quill in ink, "At least it's not Parkinson."

"Parkinson wasn't even there," Amy growled.

"Tou – chy," Tia sing – songed from her position on the bed.

"Shut up, it's your fault I don't like him!" Amy glared.

"Hey, cut it out," said Mia defensively, emerging from the bathroom. "Nobody _asked _you to come to our aid."

"Just relax," said Lucy suddenly. "It'll be fine. He's – well – just a boy. It's not like he's You – Know – Who, or anything."

"Funny, coming from _you_," Amy retorted. "Seeing as he made you _cry_."

"He also saved us all of about forty points," replied Lucy quietly.

"He _also _drew your eyes," added Liz sagely, continuing to write.

"He did **WHAT?**" chorused Mia, Tia, and Lucy.

She ignored them, yet Amy was caught off guard. "How...do you know?"

"He was cavorting around the lake, and I saw it in his bag," said Lizzy half – apologetically. "Your eyes _are _quite a distinctive feature, you know. I couldn't help but realise…"

"Why, was it something private?" Tia snickered.

"Shut UP! It was not!" Amy rounded on all of them. "It wasn't!" she insisted.

"We believe you," Lizzy said soothingly. "At least you'll get to talk to him," she added teasingly.

"Liz – Lizzy – _Elisabeth – _" How could Amy explain that that was the **last **thing she wanted!

"Have fun," Mia said as the bell rang. "I'm sure you'll have a ball, dearie."

A/N: Well, tracingsovereign…I had this chapter prewritten, I didn't mean to imply any Alex/Amy. I don't think it WILL be Alex/Amy. I like Alex/Christian better…


	9. Part I: A Dinner Interlude

Alex threw his head back and laughed. "I never knew that happened!"

"Well, it did, ok?" Amy glared at him sourly.

He grinned back. "I'm glad you loved me so much back then too."

"Yeah, just like now?" Amy asked sarcastically, playfully bopping him with a pillow.

"Hey! You'll spill the ink." Alex tucked the pillow under his arm and carefully rearranged the parchment, quill and bottle on the table. "Well, it looks good so far." He went into the kitchen, and they could hear the sound of ice clinking into a glass, and a fridge opening.

"Just so you know," Amy called from her perch on the antique rocking chair, "there's nothing but water!"

"I bought soda yesterday," Alex said, pouring his drink. "And guava juice."

Amy raised an eyebrow, Lizzy checked her watch. "It's already five thirty," she said. "Who wants dinner?"

"I do," volunteered Tea. "But I'm not cooking!"

"Neither am I," Amy, Mia and Lucy chorused.

"Whatever," Alex said, setting his cup on his dining table. "Let's order pizza."

"…Are you sure? Isn't that really, like, oily?" Mia frowned.

William shrugged. "Well, none of you want to cook…."

"And we're all hungry," Alex finished with a grin. "Okay, who wants some of my….special FRIED RICE!" and he dashed off to the kitchen.

"Not too much chilli," Amy called, and took his place in the chair. "Well, what do we write next?"

"Aw, no one's going to help me?'" Alex whined, tying his apron behind his neck.

"You volunteered," William said, smiling.

"Oh," said Tia. "And Michael's coming over later, so cook for ten."

"Tia, if Michael's coming over, that makes eight," Alex said, hands on hips.

"Yeah," she countered. "But you know how much you eat."


	10. Part I: Chapter 8

An irate Amy stormed down the stone corridor to her next lesson, her sensible shoes clacking on the floor. Lizzy followed along at a leisurely pace chatting with some random Ravenclaw that Mia didn't know about the translation of eihwaz for Ancient Runes.

Amy drew level with them, and Mia watched amused as most of Hogwarts heard her shouting to the heavens, and at Lizzy.

"Alexander Robin Chrysothemis Black is a no-good, lazy, pig headed arrogant son of a..."

"And yet you still bothered to learn my full name." The boy himself had just rounded a corner, smirking. "I feel adored. Hurry up or you'll be late for Charms."

Amy rolled her eyes and stomped off, Black following with his trademark smirk. Mia and Tia, having witnessed the scene, grinned, and linked arms as they continued on their way to transfiguration.

Today they were learning how to change a parrot to a radio. Try as she might, Mia could not understand the incantation... "Scambrillio!"

Next to her, Tia was having as much trouble. "Scembrallia!" Tia sighed, "I don't get why we have to change some stupid parrot into a radio, according to Amy they won't even work in Hogwarts! All our efforts will have been for nothing."

Then, Professor McGonagall came up behind them, "The incantation is 'scenebrariol', and you wave then jab your wand at the parrot, like this." She proceeded too demonstrate. "Now you, Miss Granger."

Mia waved and jabbed, but the parrot stubbornly refused to change into anything but a bright blue train ticket. On the third try, as Mia tried the incantation again, she accidentally knocked the parrot off its perch whilst waving madly, looking like a hooligan at a football match.

"Oops." Tia sniggered, "Professor McGonagall, what's the incantation for turning a parrot perch into a radio?"

Professor McGonagall narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips, "I think Miss Ryburn will try next."

Tia flicked the wand and jabbed the parrot in the stomach.

"Sqqqqqqaaaaaaaawk!" it squealed.

"Trying to kill the parrot, are we, Tia?" Mia said, smirking.

Tia stuck her tongue out at Mia, and with a determined expression, she tried again. This time, her jabbing worked, and her parrot changed into a bright green radio.

"What can I say? I like the colour." She smirked as Mia sulked.

"Well done Miss Ryburn, 10 points to Gryffindor." Tia's smirk widened. "Miss Granger, I expect that spell to be practised as your homework, please have it perfect on Monday."

The bell rang, and the professor swept off.

Tia stuck her tongue out at Mia again, singing. "I'm better at transfiguration than you, I'm better at..."

"Well, at least I wasn't the one who spent 15 minutes failing to levitate a feather in charms this morning." Mia retorted.

Tia abruptly changed the subject; not liking the way the conversation was going. "WEEKEND!" she screamed, and ran careering down the hall, almost bashing into Lucy, who was busy chatting with Vanny, a Hufflepuff first year. Mia looked after her, and then shook her head before joining Lucy and Vanny in their conversation. "I so messed up that radio thing! How Tia managed I do not know... but I guess, seeing as her charms are like terrible...and the color of her radio, why she is obsessed with a color that nothing goes with…."

Tia came racing back down the hall, having just crashed into a suit of amour. "I heard that!" She flicked her wand at Mia's hairgrip and turned it bright pink with neon lights floating around it.

"OH MY GOD that, like, clashes so badly with my hair!" she took it out and cast a levitating charm on it to make it chase Tia down the hall.

Just then, Hermione Granger, Head Girl, tapped her younger sister on the shoulder. "Hermia, as pleased as I am to see that you've mastered Charms so easily, it is against Hogwarts rules to use magic in the corridors. One point from Gryffindor."

Mia, probably one of the few who would dare insult the feared "Hogwarts Genius", stuck her tongue out, and followed a giggling Tia back to the common room.

xxvx

(three weeks later)

Herbology. Tia's favourite subject, besides Transfiguration, only because it was so easy. She was around a table with Vanny, Mia and Lucy, and deftly managing to feed the Carnivorous Magnolia before her without getting her fingers bitten off, no mean feat.

"How do you do it, Tia?" Vanny was almost hysterical, trying to get her hair out of the Magnolia's grip. "I'm narrowly escaping death here, and dropping all the food!"

"I guess it's just my amazing genius with all things green, isn't it?" Tia pinched the Magnolia's stem and dropped the meat in.

Mia had discovered a perfect, easy way, and many were taking her example, she simply levitated the bits of bloody meat to the plant, thus managing not to stain her immaculate robes or lose a limb. She was also carrying on a one sided conversation with a preoccupied Lucy, who was having as much trouble as Vanny with the dangerous leaves.

The bell rang, making Mia drop the meat she was levitating on Professor Sprouts' head. Lucy and Vanny heaved a simultaneous sigh of relief, and Mia quickly ran from the greenhouse, shouting that she would save them seats at lunch. Finally, a subject that they were all good at.

"Professor Sprout was so mad Mia, you were lucky to get out of there alive!" Tia said as she sat down between Mia and Lizzy.

"Did she take any points off? Hermione already took points off 'because I'm not allowed to use magic in the hall! She is so finicky!" Mia whined.

"Just be glad she didn't take more!" Lucy chimed in.

"Yeah, look at it as a good thing." Vanny said, piling her plate high with carrots.

"I don't see how you can eat those things Vanny," Tia said, wrinkling her nose, "Veggies should be green, not…orange!"

"Just because you're obsessed with the color green, doesn't mean everyone else is." Amy said as she sat down on the other side of Liz, who was reading a book. Tia ignored her, and was busy shooting color charms at all the food on her plate. Soon, everything was green, and Tia carried it a little too far by turning all the food on the table green."

"Wrong colour. Although I'm glad your love for us endures, aren't you a Gryffindor?" a voice commented from behind Tia.

"Black! What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be over at the Slytherin table where you belong?" Amy snarled. She was, frankly, _fed up_.

"Actually, I was just coming over here to tell you and Smith, that we have a special class tonight. In the old coot's office." Black said, walking away.

"DUMBLEDORE IS NOT AN OLD COOT YOU IDIOT!" Tia said, yelling after Black. Suddenly, she realised that everyone was looking, and laughing at her, and she sunk down, wishing she were somewhere else.

"Don't worry Tia, now everyone knows of your undying love for Professor Dumbledore." Lizzy said, looking up from her book.

"LIZ! That's not fair. I am NOT in love with Professor Dumbledore! Or any other Professors." Tia added, as she saw Mia open her mouth.

"Whatever you say, Tia," Amy said lightly, snickering while she changed her food back to normal colours. "Whatever you say."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: yes, as you can see, I edited some of Black's lines, and changed a few grammatical errors, etc.

Chrysanthemum Black. Honestly. That's a kind of FLOWER. And also you had "aloud" instead of "allowed" – don't know how your supreme editing let THAT escape, goddess...3


	11. Part I: Chapter 9

Lizzy furtively scanned the practically deserted dormitory. The only person there was Amy, sitting on her bed, engrossed in a wizarding novel called "The 47 Warlocks: A Novel based on A Japanese Legend." There would be no interruptions from her for at least another hour. Lizzy reached under her bed and drew out a tattered, book covered in turquoise paper. She tapped it once, and muttered something. Words appeared on the page, and Lizzy turned to the next blank one and began to write...

_26th November_

_Lessons were fun today, as usual, I got an O+ in potions. I wish the others would stop teasing me about my perfect grades, but I suppose we can't have everything in life. _

_Everyone in the advanced studies course had to take a weird test today, to see whether they had _the sight_ or not. Although usually we don't start Divination 'til 3rd year, they wanted to see whether there was anyone with signs of the sight, so they could be trained up to help in the war. I don't think it's a particularly interesting subject, myself, but some of the Hufflepuffs seemed to enjoy it. Amy really hated it- she spent the whole lesson muttering "facts, facts, I need FACTS! What is wrong with these people? Too much guessowork…" and I could tell that she came really close to walking out. She read her History of Magic textbook all through lunch; I think she was trying to exert her memory rather than making things up._

_Defense Against the Dark Arts was good too, we had an interesting debate about the current werewolf legislation and whether they should be considered human or animal. Unfortunately, Prof. Tonks decided to put Black and Amy on opposite sides, to even out the teams as there were 13 sets of pairs. Even though she is a nice teacher, she can lack a little sense about these kinds of things sometimes…_

_Well, at least I suppose we learned that they're both _good_ at arguing (especially with each other. They wouldn't let the rest of us get a word in edge wise!) Christian Demidov - Bale, as they were fighting about the finer details of the Werewolf Constitution of 1812 (which personally , I didn't think we had to know! Trust Amy to do extra research), rolled his eyes at me and gestured to Amy and Black, a signal which I took to mean, "Can you believe these two?" Christian is nice, despite being friends with Black, and I think I can safely say that I now consider him something of a friend rather than an acquaintance._

_Dinner went as usual, Tia was turning the table green, Mia was sitting at the Hufflepuff table talking to that new friend of hers, Annie or Vanny orsomething. Amy was reading, and I was observing all three. Nothing out of the ordinary._

_Back in the common room, Mia was trying to turn everything into blue train tickets, the screaming "It WON'T WORK!!!!! How do you manage it Tia!?" She has to work on her swishing a little more, but she wouldn't let me correct he when I tried. Oh well. _

_I finished off my potions homework and came up here to write this. Here comes Tia - I'd better put this away before she sees it. 'Til tomorrow._

_Elizabeth Sophia Smith_

Lizzy slammed the book shut, tapped it on the cover with her wand and whispered something to it, just as a whirlwind known as Tia came rushing into the room with a "Li - zzy, Lucy wants to know what the first ingredient of a bronchospasm –relief potion is for her potions homework."

Lucy came in. "Actually, I _know _ what it is, I just don't understand how it produces the effect."

Amy looked up from her book. "Since magnesium is a natural antihistamine, when thrown into the boiling water, the chemicals disperse throughout the water, providing the basis for the extra ingredients you add later."

"Okay…" Lucy looked lost, and turned to Lizzy.

Lizzy thought for a minute about how to explain. "What she means is…" she began.

XXVX

A/N: Okay, all you chemists/molecular biologists out there…sorry if I messed up the whold magnesium thing. I promise I did research!  sorry I fixed it, goddess.


	12. Part I: Chapter 10

It was the week before the Christmas Holidays. The school was immaculate, with everlasting icicles on all the banisters, huge fir trees in the great hall and common rooms, and altogether more decorations than it had ever seen before. Even the suits of armour were white and glistening with frost.

"I think Dumbledore wants to keep everyone's spirits up, what with the war and all," Lizzy told Amy, who agreed.

"It might work, you never know."

Tanya Ryburn was reading a letter over breakfast, as a tawny owl swooped around her head. She paled as she read its contents, and summoned her younger sister from the other end of the table.

When Tia came back to her friends, she was frowning deeply. "I'm going home for Christmas, OK?"

"Oh, come on Tia, you know we were going to have that snowball fight on Christmas day..." Mia whined, turning to her friend from her breakfast.

"No, sorry, I'm leaving." Tia wandered out of the great hall with an odd look on her face.

"What's got into her?" Lucy wondered aloud. They shrugged.

"Anyway, she's going and Lizzy's going, so that leaves you, me and Amy in the dorm." Mia was all business. Can we invite Vanny to spend the holidays with us? She's in Hufflepuff, and she'll be the only one left in her room. Dumbledore said it's OK as long as everyone in the room agrees."

"I don't see why not." Lucy nodded her consent.

Amy shrugged. "I foresee three weeks of you lot gossiping non-stop until three in the morning, and leaving me out of everything. Lovely. I'm off to the library." She got up and swished out.

"What's got into _everyone_ today?" Lucy was confused

"Oh, don't mind Amy, she's just a sad, socially-retarded freak of nature," Mia insulted idly. "So, anyway, will you help me persuade Madam Pince to let me have that poster of the SERIOUSLY HOT Gilderoy Lockhart from _Teenage Witch _magazine?"

Lizzy raised her eyebrows and finished her breakfast.

xxvx

Mia Granger was discussing the obtained picture of Gilderoy Lockhart's head, which she had inflated and stuck over her bed. The picture was so huge, that, in the words of her sister, "It was almost as big as his ego."

Mia had retorted, "You seem to forget that you fancied him too, not less than five years ago. And the whole, 'I survived memory loss' thing only makes him even cuter." After Gilderoy Lockhart had reclaimed his memory, Harry, Hermone and Ron had decided to give him a second chance at honesty, and so had never told the world about his many acts of fraud – not even their own families knew. So, Hermione just sighed and rolled her eyes at her sister's insane, inane crush.

That had been yesterday, now, she was vainly trying to get Lucy to join in her adoration of him. "Isn't he, like, _so_ cute?"

"Oh, I dunno, I think some people in this school are cuter." Lucy replied.

"Oooooh, who?" Mia was immediately distracted from Gilderoy Lockhart.

"That fifth year Slytherin, Jenkins, I think," Lucy said shyly.

"Ooooooohhh, Lucy's in lo-ove, Lucy's in lo-ove," Mia sing - songed, laughing.

Vanny entered the room at that moment. "Who's the lucky guy?"

"James Jenkins, fifth year Slytherin."

"No! He's ug_ly_. But wouldn't you agree that..."

Amy, who had been listening interestedly, put down her book and drew open the hangings of her bed, without attracting their attention. _It usually ends up like this, _she thought. _I'm listening, they're talking, without even knowing of my presence. Ah well, that's just the way my life is, I guess. _She shut the curtains again.

xxvx

Lizzy hung up her stocking and snuggled into her bed covers. She loved Christmas, all the food and fun and laughter. Of course, she knew that Father Christmas didn't exist, but stringing her four younger brothers along was fun. How could anyone not be happy at this time of year? Unable to imagine anything but the bliss she shared with her half-blood family, Elisabeth Sophia Smith fell asleep.

**CHRISTMAS DAY**

xvxvxvx

Tia Mariposa Ryburn stood at the memorial stone and wept. She remembered: Ashlee, her best friend forever. Jamie, the quiet one. Janette, always cracking jokes. Libby, who everyone tolerated but no one really liked. All gone, never to fill their proper spots again, killed by an evil megalomaniac with a superiority complex. Tia stood there, crying, not able even to look at the stark list of names on that dark stone tablet, on a day which should have been all smiles and laughter.

It should have been so. But it wasn't, and she swore that she would help destroy that evil, if it was the last thing she did. As Tia wiped her eyes, the only thought in her mind was this: _He will pay._

Tanya put her arm around her younger sister's shoulder and steered her away from the tall stone, engraved with the words:

IN LOVING MEMORY OF ALL THOSE WHO DIED  
WHEN WESTFORD ACADEMY OF MAGICAL SCIENCES

WAS ATTACKED BY DEATH EATERS

ON CHRISTMAS DAY, 2000

A long list of names followed, anyone who had remained at school over the holidays had been massacred. Only fifty-seven students out of five hundred forty-three had survived. Tia and Tanya had been on a skiing holiday at the time, and neither one had ever forgiven themselves or Voldemort for the tragedy that had killed their friends and father, who had been Chairman of the Board of Governors, and visiting the school at the time of his death.

xxvx

Lizzy sat at the long table, her extended family around her. Everyone was talking and laughing, drinking and eating. Lizzy, ever the social observer, looked around and couldn't help wondering whether or not they would all still be around to celebrate Christmas next year. Firmly, she put that thought out of her mind and concentrated on being happy that they had survived the last year.

xvxvxvx

Mia threw a snowball and hit Lucy square in the face, only to be caught in the back of the leg by one of Vanny's. She crumpled, and was immediately pelted with snow from all directions by the other two.

"Surrender?" Lucy asked.

"Never!" cried Mia, and with a leap she was back on her feet, turning the girls' hats and scarves to snow and running away like mad. There were some times when a girl could really use a levitation charm, she thought, as she ran pell-mell back towards the castle, knocking over a certain black haired Slytherin on the way.

"Watch where you're going, Granger!" A soaking figure otherwise known as Alexander Black called out. Mia turned and stuck her tongue out at him, regretting this as she got a face full of snow.

xxvx

Albus Dumbledore watched the proceedings with a slight smile on his face. _Ah, Christmas, _ he thought. _The happiest time of the year. _

And if a little grey – eyed girl sighed and curled up into her chair, who would notice? _After all, _she thought. _It's not like I'm the only one with problems. Our whole world has problems. Let them have their fun while they can. I'd only get in the way, and there probably won't be much time for fun later._

And although Amy Leigh detested divination, if she had known how prophetic that thought would come to be, she might have changed her tune somewhat.


	13. Part I: Chapter 11

They were back. Lizzy walked into the common room and placed her bag on the bed, just as...

Mia ran into the dorm with a huge grin on her face, and hugged Lizzy around the waist, which severely impaired the poor girl's ability to stand. They both keeled over and crashed into Amy, who grabbed at Lucy for support, who whirled her arm trying to catch her balance and hit Tia square in the face. All four of them went down on Lucy's bed in a mess of limbs.

"Did you miss me?" The muffled sound of Mia's squealing could be heard from somewhere beneath the pile of people.

"Of course, what _would_ we do without you to welcome us?" Lizzy's voice came from somewhere near Lucy's elbow.

"Live a much simpler and less painful life," came an audible mutter from someone.

Tia giggled. "I'm glad to be back."

"Lovely to have you, now will the auburn haired perpetrator of this mess kindly remove her elbow from my stomach? It's rather sharp." The grey-eyed head sticking out from under the pile was smiling as it spoke.

Mia poked said elbow harder into the ribs belonging to said head. The smile became an odd grimace.

"OUCH!"

xxvx

History of Magic - the most boring subject on the planet, in the opinion of Alexander Black. He yawned, scratched his nose, and reached over to poke Leigh in the ribs.

"Go away Black," she said in a monotone, not ceasing in her detailed note taking. "I don't have time for your inanity, I need to take notes on what we have to do for this project."

"What project?"

"The one he's talking about."

Black looked up. "He's talking?"

Somehow, he just _knew_ she was rolling her eyes. "Yes. If you were listening rather than disturbing me, you might have known that."

"_Someone_ forgot her happy pills," Black commented, idly playing with his quill.

"More like my patience pills," Amy retorted, frowning at the blot that had formed on her paper.

"What patience? Pills?"

"Shut up, Black. And listen to Professor Binns - if I have to work with you again (God forbid) I would be happier if you actually knew what you were doing." Amy tried to block out the nonsensical boy beside her and focus on _important_ things.

"And I live to make you happy, my dear Amy?" Black intoned sarcastically.

"Shut up. And don't call me Amy, that's reserved for _friends,_" Amy snarled, trying to imply that yes, he should shut up now.

Alexander Black ignored the implication. "It's boring," he said, louder than necessary.

Amy almost hit him upside the head, then remembered that actual physical contact might contaminate her. "If you ever _listened_, you might actually find it interesting, if you're even capable of that."

Black raised his eyebrows sceptically. "Right," he said. He tuned in to the ghost's speech.

"- For this project you will be working on your own -" Black pretended not to hear the sigh of relief from his left - "And I wish you to have it prepared for a month from today-_" _Good, he could do it the night before, no thinking about it for weeks "-and you will need to give a speech on an important event in wizarding history in the last hundred years-" Easy. He'd do the secrets of the magicians in world war one "- And you must submit your topics to me by Tuesday and only one person will be allowed-"

Alex sighed and tuned out again. _Interesting my arse. What does she get out of this stuff?_

xxvx

Chatter filled the great hall. It was about a week since the break, and Lucy's belated New Year's present from her father had just arrived. She was, to put it mildly, not happy.

She was monologuing as she dug into her porridge. "I mean, he got me a PAIR OF SOCKS for Merlin's sake! How sad can you get?"

Mia noticed that Tia had been rather silent all meal, which was very unlike her. "Are you, like, sick or something?"

Tia stared resolutely at her plate.

Lizzy concurred. "You've said two words all day, and those were 'salt please'! Are you OK?"

Tia said nothing. Her eyes blurred with tears and memories.

Mia, completely innocently, asked, "Is your father as bad at getting presents as Lucy's?"

She was very shocked when her question elicited no response from her friend, who simply ran out of the hall without a word.

Lizzy, Mia and Lucy looked at each other. What on earth was going on?

"Oh, has anyone seen Amy?" Lizzy asked. "I wanted to discuss that Potions problem with her."

"Why discuss Potions with her? You're better at it," Mia said incredulously.

"Well…just because," Lizzy said. "I don't really know. Good question. Do you know where she is?"

"She had breakfast early and then went to the library about some project or other," Lucy volunteered, still looking worried and perplexed about Tia's abrupt departure.

"Thanks. I'll go find her."

Mia called out as she left, "Tell her from me that all that reading can't be good for her!"

"I wouldn't dare!" Lizzy laughed.

xxvx

Amy wandered through the deserted library. It always seemed to be empty, or at least, the shelves that she browsed did. She ran her hand along the dusty spines. Merlin, she loved this place – it was her haven and heaven.

She sighed, realising that she was no way going to find information on a recent (one hundred years was nothing) wizarding event here, she went back to the more commonly used section, the "Newest Releases" shelf. It was sadly empty, as not many people published books during the war.

One, rather thick, book caught her eye. Apparently, one author at least had risked the wrath of Voldemort by publishing information not quite complimentary to him. The book was called "Why this madman must be stopped: He Who Must Not Be Named's Greatest Crimes."

Amy smiled. _Perfect. _

She took the book to her favourite little table in the depths of the library and settled down. She opened to the first page and started reading...

When she looked up, two hours later, her eyebrows were curved in a frown. It was then that Lizzy found her.

"I'm glad that it's a Saturday, or I'd have missed three classes looking for you! How _do_ you manage it?"

"What?"

"Hiding yourself in the smallest cranny in the library, far away from anywhere?"

"I just do. And technically, by the laws of geography, nothing can be far away from anywhere, as there always has to be something nearby, depending on the relativity of near... But, anyway... Lizzy, read this! I found it for my History of Magic presentation. It's a very good book, but the last chapter is... well, read it." Amy shoved the book toward Lizzy.

"I actually came to talk to you about the Potions -" Lizzy began, but was cut off impatiently by Amy.

"The answer was peppermint potion, right?"

"That's what I got."

"If _you_ got it, then it's right. Did you ask Black?"

Lizzy frowned. "Why would I do that?"

"Never mind." Amy brushed it off by pushing the book more insistently in Lizzy's direction. "Now, read the chapter."

Lizzy shrugged and obeyed.

A/N: yes, I am somewhat aware that no decent Brit would be caught saying sick in such a context….but it flows better than 'ill'…. ah well.


	14. Part I: Chapter 12

Lizzy scanned the book's pages and soon figured out the main gist of the massive tome. "Magician's in WWI?" she asked Amy, who nodded fervently.

"It's a great book – filled with accurate information, and _really_ interesting, because it not only discusses wizards and witches, but also sorcerers! I haven't read far yet, but it seems to me the main difference in the wand, sorcerers preferred a staff over a wand, and they also…"

"All right, Amy, I'll wait until your report to hear a-all about it, OK?" Lizzy suggested, hoping to deter Amy from one of her historical ramblings.

"Yes, I have to get on with reading." Amy carefully found her place and flopped the book open.

"You know, Amy," Lizzy began slyly. "You might want to run to Professor Binns before a certain Slytherin does."

"Wait, are you telling me that Black is trying to steal my idea from me?" Amy exclaimed, wheeling in the middle of the hallway to face Lizzy.

"Actually, he was talking about it after history, so technically, it's the other way around," Lizzy pointed out, happy in her logic.

"Why, the little…" Amy fumed, unable to find words to describe Alex Black. "Well," she said, shutting the book with a decisive snap. "I'm off to Professor Binns right now to get my topic before Black does." Amy turned around and marched straight back down the stairs.

Lizzy smiled and picked up Amy's forgotten book bag. Hoisting it on her shoulder, she winced at the weight, then made her way to Defense Against the Dark Arts.

Mia was waiting for her outside the door. "Did you grab my quills for me?" she asked anxiously, taking the other end of Amy's bag. "What does she keep in here, rocks?" she gasped as Lizzy carefully placed all the weight in her arms.

"Sorry," Lizzy said. "Your quills are in my bag." She rummaged in her bag as Mia opened the door, still struggling with Amy's bag, and finally dumping it on her desk.

"Where's Amy run off too, anyway?" Mia asked, rubbing her sore arms.

"She went to register her topic for Binn's report. Apparently, she had the same idea as Black, and she wants to make sure she gets that topic." Lizzy explained, finally pulling out a few slightly bedraggled quills out of the bottom of her bag. "Here you go. Don't forget them next time."

"Yes, Mummy," Mia sighed, taking the quills. "Oh, look, here's Amy now. Hi, Amy! Did you get your topic?" Amy sat in her chair, scowling.

"No! The stupid idiot barged in just as I was about to tell Binns, and he shouted it out. So Binns gave it to him, and I just stood there looking like a blimming idiot!" Amy railed angrily.

"Well – " Lizzy began.

Amy turned on her. "Don't you dare say anything, because it's not my fault he's more – more – _physically attuned _then I am."

"What the heck does that mean?" Mia asked bluntly.

"He's better at running," Amy muttered. "Stupid, arrogant – " Lizzy and Mia shared a slightly amused and tired look. They would never hear the end of this, at least until Black performed his next atrocity.

"Hi! Lucy's in the bathroom. What happened?" Tia asked, noticing Amy's expression.

Black entered, hair tousled and book bag slung over one shoulder. He sauntered over to where the girls were sitting.

"Come to gloat?" Amy spat. His permanent smirk twitched a little.

"No," he replied. "You forgot your book." He thumped it on the table. "Good luck with your project." He turned away, and Lizzy was surprised that two neat holes didn't sizzle into the back of his skull, the way Amy was glaring at him.

"So," Amy said loudly. "Mia, did you do your homework?"

Mia, completely nonplussed, said: "Yes, of course…"

"You did?" Amy continued in a loud tone. "Did you, Lizzy?"

Lizzy sighed. "Amy, it's just one project. He didn't get the better of you, you'll probably find something more interesting anyway."

"Did you do your homework, though?" Amy asked determinedly.

"Why, need help with yours?" Black said, endangering his life again by coming back to their desks.

"No," Amy said sharply, gripping her wand so tightly sparks shot out of the tip. A few landed on the hem of Black's long robes, setting them alight. Frantically, he attempted to stamp them out, as Amy turned away to greet an approaching Lucy.

Robes doused, Black walked straight up to Amy. "I can't wait to see you try to fly," he said bitingly. "Especially after seeing the pitiful way you _attempt _to run."

"Hello, Black," Amy said, venomously pleasant. "Was there something you wanted?"

"Oh, yes," he said, ignoring her comments and smiling infuriatingly. "Yes, I can't wait to see you try."

"I can fly perfectly well, thank you," Amy sniffed.

"About as well as an arthritic flobberworm," he retorted.

Amy looked up at him, and crossed her arms. "Flobberworms don't have bones." To add, 'take that' would be immature, but her tone indicated exatly what she wanted to convey.

His grin didn't exactly make here feel comfortable. "My point exactly. See you later." Somewhat dejected, Amy sat and looked down. On her desk was Tia's agenda book. Spinning it to face her, she quickly scanned the day's schedule.

"No," she said softly. "Damn it!"

"What?" Mia said, concerned at her friend's sudden outbreak.

"We have flying after DADA," Amy said, voice trembling a little. Minimally.

"Well, you can fly, right?" Mia asked. Amy was silent. "Oh, no," Mia groaned. "You LIED?"

"It's not like I could have said anything else, is it?" Amy snapped. "Besides, we're not expected to fly, are we? We're only first-years."

Tia, who had been listening in on this conversation, edged closer. "But that's not the point!" she hissed. "The point is, Black knows! Or, at least," she added. "Will know."

Amy banged her head on the desk. "Why today?" she moaned, as Lizzy put a comforting arm around her shoulder, and Tia and Mia disucssed how best to teach Amy how to fly, at least in theory, before ultimate Doom.

Meanwhile, a certain Slytherin smirked in a corner. How enjoyable today was turning out to be.


End file.
